Reflections
by Disco Ant
Summary: Chapter 5 : Inspired by some song I heard on the radio while in the car : Lupin realizes the truth and voices his thoughts to Fujiko.
1. Chapter 1

**Reflections**

D. Ant

**About Reflections**

Sometimes when I hear a song I will kind of gaze off into space and random things come to mind. These images are either brought upon by the lyrics, music or video of the song. And sometimes they have nothing to do with either, but are brought on by whatever mood I'm in while listening.

Most of these mental thoughts and visions are either things from my past, things I wish for me to do or things for fiction stories I am working on.

The rest of the time it's random Lupin crap. And if it seems to stick with me, I will attempt to write out what I imagine as the song plays. Sometimes it doesn't come out as planned, but that's all thanks to my annoying thing of being unable to write out what I see.

And so, this is where I will stick all of these stories. Some I really enjoy and others the whole idea got lost while writing it. There isn't a set category, as the stories seems to be many different kinds. But so far they mostly seem to be dramatic ones. Oh, me and my drama. xD Anyway, I hope those who bother to read enjoy.

* * *

One - Hoppipolla (Sigur Ros)

Jigen stood on the top of a small hill, the warm wind blowing in his face, the sun beating down on him. His eyes gazed off at the horizon while one of many memories from his childhood ran through his mind.

"Come on!" the older boy shouted happily, his short and messy black hair bouncing as he ran, the fallen leaves crunching under his feet.  
Behind him ran a similar looking boy a couple years younger and behind him ran a small girl, about a few years younger than the oldest.  
"Wait for me!" the girl whined as she tried her hardest to catch up.  
"Hurry up!" the older boy shouted as he stopped and waited.  
The girl caught up, the younger boy taking her by the hand as they continued to run.  
Ahead of them stood a hill, looming over them as they ran towards it, scrambling to get to the top.  
The younger boy let go of the girls hand as he caught up to the older boy, the two of them pushing and shoving playfully as they tried to each make it to the top.  
"Ha!" the older boy said in triumph as he stood on the top.  
"You cheated," the young boy accused him.  
The older boy stuck his tongue out.  
The girl had occupied herself with rolling down the hill, giggling all the way down.  
"Let's have a stick fight," the older boy suggested, the two boys finding sticks on the ground, preparing them as a fencer would his epee.  
They fought fearlessy, big smiles on their faces the whole time, the girl sitting up at the bottom of the hill and watching with big eyes.  
The younger boy backed the older boy against a tree, finally able to knock the stick away, a grin on his face.  
"Oh yeah?" the older boy said as he leapt at his foe, both falling to the leaf covered grass as they play wrestled.  
They rolled around, finally rolling down the hill, both stopping at the bottom, laying on their backs as they laughed.  
"Tag! You're it!" the younger boy said as he got up and ran, laughing the whole time.  
"Hey!" the older yelled as he got up, running after him.  
"Wait for me!" the girl whined as she ran after the two.

"Jigen."  
Jigen broke from his thoughts, turning to see Lupin standing behind him.  
"You okay?" Lupin asked. "I've been calling your name the last five minutes."  
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just...just thinking..." He glanced down, a bare stick about three feet long at his feet. "Hey, Lupin," he said, looking up with a smile on his face.  
"Hmmm?" Lupin had started down the hill, turning and looking at Jigen.  
"You want to have a stick fight?" He kicked the stick up with his foot, snatching it in the air and holding it in front of him.  
Lupin grinned, looking around for a stick, finding one about a foot longer than Jigen's. "En garde," Lupin said, holding his stick up.  
The two fought with speed and grace, Jigen avoiding Lupin's stabs while Lupin ducked Jigen's swings. The fight was even until Jigen found himself backed into a tree.  
"You have fought a good battle," Lupin said with a smile, "but I'm afraid I am the better swordsman." He knocked Jigen's stick away, holding his stick to Jigen's throat. "For today, victory is mine."  
Jigen relaxed as Lupin turned around and started to walk away. "Oh yeah?" Jigen said, running up and tackling Lupin.  
"Hey!" Lupin shouted in surprise as the two fell to the ground.  
"Never turn your back on your opponent," Jigen said as he was trying to pin Lupin.  
"That's cheating," Lupin said, using his legs to toss Jigen away and then diving on him.  
"Cheating only applies to games that have rules," Jigen said as he tried to fend Lupin off.  
The two continued to wrestle until both rolled down the hill.  
Lupin scrambled to his feet, snatching Jigen's hat, which had come off halfway down the hill. "Got your hat," Lupin taunted as he put it on and ran.  
"Hey!" Jigen got to his feet and gave chase.  
The two smiled and laughed as they ran through the park, Lupin touching the trees and calling "Safe" so he could catch his breath before running again.  
Goemon and Fujiko stood by the car and watched the two. Fujiko smiled, running to join in, soon Jigen having two people to chase, Lupin and Fujiko passing the hat off to each other.  
"Kids," Goemon scoffed, a smile soon coming to his face as he ran to join them, teaming up with Jigen to help him get his hat back.  
The four played as the sun slowly crept towards the horizon, ignoring the odd looks others in the park gave them. They didn't care what others thought, for they were having too much fun. And sometimes, reliving your childhood wasn't all that bad.

* * *

I wrote this story back in November of 2007 and was inspired by the video for the song. Even though I don't see this writing style as my strong point, I'm very happy with how it came out. Although with what I wrote when I put it in my lj, I didn't like it too much when I first wrote it. xD It has grown on me or something. And I guess that's all I have to say about this story.


	2. Chapter 2

Two - Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)

The woods were the same as they had been every fall. The leaves changing colors, the sun filtering down through the clouds and the patches of foliage refusing to leave the branches they clung to, the birds singing sad songs to each other and anyone who would listen.  
It was a familiar place, a place that went through the same cycles every year, one of the few things Lupin could predict, a place he could go and feel at peace.  
He wandered down the worn path, the leaves under his feet rustling quietly as they were crushed. A cold breeze blew, not phasing him as he continued on, his hands gently brushing against the tree trunks as he passed them, the bark cold and rough.  
He stopped, staring down the long straight path before he closed his eyes, voices of the past running over and over in his mind.

_"Lupin..."  
"Jigen, just take her and go!"  
"But-"  
"Just go!"_

He opened his eyes, a long sigh escaping his lips as he continued on.  
He veered off the path, following the steps he took so many years ago, during the event that felt like it happened days earlier. The event that forever haunted him.  
He reached a pile of large rocks that sat near a running river, climbing to the top and sitting on it as he stared off at the water.

_"Where are we?"  
"I don't know. Where's Goemon?"  
"Goemon! Where are you?"  
"Goemon!"_

Thunder rumbled in the distance, Lupin looking up as dark clouds formed on the distance. The wind picked up slightly, knocking leaves off of branches, speeding their spinning descent to the ground.  
Lupin stared back down at the water as a few leaves fluttered softly to the surface, the current pushing them farther away until they were no longer visible.

_"Where are you going?"  
"Lupin, what do we do?"  
"Just follow me, all right?"  
"They're all around us. We need to get out of here!"  
"Just follow me!"  
"Lupin!"_

The voices faded, Lupin breaking from his trance as voices echoed in the distance. Jumping off the rock, he ran into the woods, hiding among the trees.  
Peeking around a tree trunk, he watched as two small kids ran to the river, the two adults walking behind them causing him to draw in a breath.  
"Fujiko," he whispered as he stared at her. "Has it really been that long?"  
Fujiko stopped, staring across the river and into the trees. Shivering, she ran her hands over her bare arms to warm them.  
"I told you to bring a jacket or something," Jigen said as he removed his jacket. "Here."  
Fujiko looked over as he held his jacket out towards her. She took it and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thanks," she said, looking back at the trees across the river.  
Jigen looked at her and then towards the area she stared at. "What."  
"It's just...I don't know," she sighed. "It's like he's out there, watching us."  
"I doubt it," Jigen muttered. "It's been ten years. If he wanted to show himself, he would have done it already."  
Fujiko was silent.  
Lupin crouched down, gazing at them from behind a shrub. 'Is she...is she looking at me?' he wondered as he stared into her eyes, which seemed to be staring back into his.  
"Mommy, mommy!" the little girl yelled as she ran to Fujiko. "Look!"  
Fujiko was broken from her thoughts, looking down as the girl held out a small stone.  
"Isn't it pretty?" the girl asked.  
"Yeah, it is," Fujiko said, smiling at her.  
"It's getting late," Jigen said. "We need to go."  
Fujiko looked at Jigen and then down at the girl. "Go get your brother, okay?"  
The girl nodded and ran back to the river.  
"He's gone, Fujiko," Jigen said as he turned to walk away. "It won't do any good to keep coming back here."  
She looked back as he walked away, looking forward as her kids ran towards her. Taking one last glance at the trees in the distance, she turned and followed Jigen.  
'He's here,' she thought to herself, trying to hold in the tears that formed. 'I know he is.'  
Jigen stared straight ahead as he walked. He wanted to think Lupin was all right, but ten years was a long time to go without contact. 'He would have left something, some kind of clue. Wouldn't he?'  
Above him the skies got darker, the thunder rumbling as rain started to fall. He looked up, the rain hitting his face.

_"Lupin!" Jigen yelled as he ran through the dark forest, the rain pounding down.  
Lupin was knelt down, Fujiko unconscious before him.  
"Lupin!" Jigen ran up to him. "Is she okay?"  
"Take her," Lupin said, still staring down at her. "Both of you need to get out of here. I'll hold them off."  
"What?"  
"Take her and go." Lupin stood, looking back and glaring at Jigen as voices and gunshots neared.  
"Lupin..."  
"Jigen, just take her and go!" he yelled as he pulled out his gun.  
"But-"  
"Just go!" he screamed, pointing his gun at Jigen.  
Knowing Lupin was serious, Jigen lifted the limp body of Fujiko up, giving Lupin one last look before he ran off._

A flash of lightening brought Jigen back from the memory. He looked around, the two kids running towards him.  
"Where's your mom?" he asked them.  
"She's back there," the girl said, pointing back towards the trees.  
"Here," Jigen said as he handed the girl the keys. "Take your brother and get to the car. Lock the doors and stay there."  
The girl took the keys and nodded, grabbing her brothers hand, the two running to get out of the rain.  
"Fujiko?" Jigen called out as he walked back to find her.  
Fujiko stood at a tree, her right hand setting on the bark as she stared at it.

_"Hey, the river's still here," Lupin said in kid-like excitement as he ran up to it.  
"That's great, Lupin," Fujiko said unenthusiastically as she swatted the bugs away from her. "Can we go now?"  
"Not until we find the fort," he said.  
"A fort?" Jigen wondered. "Out here?" He glanced around, seeing nothing but trees and dirt.  
"It was an underground bunker during the war," Lupin explained, "but as a kid it was my fort."  
Lupin ran down a trail, the others following. He'd stop for a moment and look around before moving on, trying to find something that was familiar to him.  
"Are you sure it still exists?" Jigen asked.  
"I don't know," Lupin said. "That's what I want to find out."  
"Anything of importance in this fort?" Jigen asked, wondering why Lupin had to find it.  
"I may have left a few things there." Lupin turned and grinned. "Come on, Jigen, it'll be fun."  
Jigen gave him an unsure look. 'He's still a kid,' he thought, walking after Lupin, who ran far ahead.  
"Hey, look at this!" Lupin hollered as he stared at a tree.  
Fujiko and Jigen wandered up to it, standing behind Lupin and staring at the 'ALIII' carved in the trees bark.  
"It should be somewhere around here," Lupin said excitedly as he looked around._

"The fort," Fujiko muttered, bringing her hand down, her fingers running over the small initials in the tree. "He's there. He has to be."  
She smiled and ran off, through the trees.  
"Fujiko!" Jigen yelled. He mumbled some profanities under his breath as the rain started to pour down on him.  
More profanities were muttered when he tripped and fell into the mud. Looking back to what he tripped over, he saw a half buried tree trunk. Standing at the end of it was three feet of the tree still in the ground, sliced off at a diagonal.  
Jigen sat in the mud and the rain, staring at the tree trunk.

_Jigen ran, his arms and legs tired, but his only thoughts being to escape the mob of gunmen that he knew were sure to follow.  
A flash of lightening shot across the sky, illuminating the way in front of him. In it he noticed something strange, a trail of trees sliced down.  
"Goemon," he muttered, following the angled tree trunks until he came to a clearing, Lupin's car sitting in it.  
"Goemon!" he yelled, seeing the samurai slumped over on the ground near the back of the car.  
Setting Fujiko down, he rushed over to check on him.  
"Jigen," Goemon mumbled, his eyes closed and his energy drained.  
"Just hold on, okay?" Jigen removed his jacket, wadding it up and pressing it to the gunshot wound on Goemon's side. "Can you press down on this?"  
Goemon mumbled something and set his hand on the jacket.  
Jigen opened the car, getting Fujiko in the front seat and closing the door. He then opened the back door and grabbed Goemon, laying him across the back seat.  
"Jigen," Goemon mumbled. "Where's Lupin?"  
"I don't know," Jigen answered, looking behind him into the forest._

Jigen looked beyond the trunk, seeing more like it in a line, one that led to the clearing where his car and Fujiko's kids were.  
He then looked the other way, seeing more trunks sliced at an angle. Getting to his feet, he decided to follow them, to see where they led.  
Nearby, Lupin watched, standing behind some trees as Jigen walked farther away. Sighing, he turned, walking in the direction that Fujiko ran.  
Fujiko ran until she got to a small clearing, a familiar area in her memories. "This was..."  
She started looking at the trees in the fading light, finding the one with a large chunk taken from it

_Jigen watched in annoyance as Lupin flirted with Fujiko, Fujiko only fueling the fire as she flirted back.  
"So? Are we close?" Fujiko asked as she played with Lupin's tie.  
"Maybe," Lupin answered as he stared into her eyes, his hand on her side and slowly moving down to her thigh.  
"You don't know, do you?" Fujiko teased.  
"Not yet," Lupin said, gently pushing Fujiko against the tree she stood behind and giving her a deep and passionate kiss.  
Fujiko wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss.  
Jigen only got more annoyed. He hadn't worked with Lupin for that long, but what he had seen so far wasn't what he was expecting from the famous Lupin the Third. And now he was wondering why he even agreed to the partnership.  
Lupin and Fujiko continued kissing and flirting, stopping when the gunshot from behind sounded, both eying the giant wound given to the tree just a few inches above their heads and then turning to Jigen, who stood with his gun pointed at them.  
"Are you insane?!" Lupin shouted in anger. "You could have killed us!"  
Jigen put his gun away and turned his back on them. "We're here to look for a bunker, not for you to screw some broad in the woods!"  
"What did you call me?!" Fujiko shouted.  
"I called you a broad because that's what you are!"  
"Oh yeah? Well, you're a rude, chauvinistic, drunk-"  
"Okay, okay, guys!" Lupin said, trying to make peace. "Can we just stop? Please? The fort should be around here somewhere, so let's go."  
Jigen and Fujiko glared at each other before following Lupin._

Fujiko stared at the tree, turning when she heard a rustling behind her, catching a glimpse of a figure. "Hey!" she yelled as she gave chase. "Wait!"  
She ran farther into the woods, looking around, not knowing where to go next.  
To her right a twig snapped and then footsteps running from the location.  
Fujiko followed, hearing a few other noises and following them until she found herself lost.  
The noises stopping, she didn't know where else to go, afraid that she had fallen into some sort of trap.  
She looked around her, walking backwards when she tripped on something and fell down, the thud she caused sounding hollow.  
"Huh?" She looked down, brushing away the leaves and the mud to reveal wood. Excited, she got to her knees and worked quickly to remove it all, finally revealing two wooden slabs.  
"The fort," she whispered, smiling as she got to her feet and worked to pull one of the slabs open. "I found it," she laughed, staring into the dark entrance.  
Reaching into Jigen's jacket, she pulled out a book of matches, striking one and making her way inside the small underground cave.  
In front of her was a makeshift desk, a kerosene lamp setting on it. Seeing it still had fuel in it, she lit the wick, the light soon illuminating the space.  
Lupin started walking towards the open door, walking through it and down inside.  
Fujiko held onto the lamp as she made her way around the bunker. She got to the end and stopped, staring in front of her, the look on her face that of fear.  
Lupin walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
Fujiko gasped and jumped, spinning around to empty space. She whimpered, tears rolling down her face, turning once more to the bed at the end of the cave.  
"I did it for you," Lupin said. "I did it for you..."  
"No," Fujiko sobbed quietly as she backed away from the bed, on it a skeleton wearing a familiar red blazer. "It can't..." She bowed her head, closing her eyes as she started to run out, running into Jigen as he entered.  
"Don't tell me this is that fort Lupin-" He looked down as Fujiko fell to her knees and sobbed. "What's with you?"  
He spotted a dust covered piece of paper on the desk, a pen laying across it. "Let me see that," he said as he took the lamp from Fujiko, using it to illuminate the letter. Blowing the dust off, he began to read it.  
"To whomever finds this, let it be known that this is the final resting place of...Lupin the Third."  
He lowered the paper and stared off.  
"You never payed attention to me before," Lupin said, standing off to the side and staring at them. "I tried leading you here...I tried to tell you...I tried..."  
Jigen walked over to the bed, staring down at the clothed skeleton. He bowed his head and sighed.  
He figured Lupin was dead after the first year, his tears cried then. Now all he felt was the reality of his prediction. It was over. His thoughts could now rest in peace. And so could Lupin.  
"Come on," Jigen said, walking back and offering a hand to Fujiko.  
"I'm not...I'm not leaving him," she sobbed.  
"He'll be fine," Jigen said, setting the lamp on the table and placing the letter next to it. "We know where he is. We don't need to return here."  
Fujiko looked up at Jigen, grabbing his hand and getting to her feet.  
She let go of Jigen's hand, Jigen turning and blowing out the lamps wick, both taking one last look before walking out of the bunker, closing the wooden slabs and walking back to the car.  
Lupin stood at the back of the slabs, watching as the two walked off, a smile on his face as he began to fade, his soul finally free of the earthbound prison he lived over the last ten years.


	3. Chapter 3

Three - Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)

_I used to have this recurring dream. Had it all the time when you were a kid. You were standing by yourself in a crowded park. I watched, standing near you as you cried. It was as if I were a ghost, the others never noticing me. You looked around, frightened, as the people ignored you. You would ask them if they had seen your father, but no one payed any attention. Nobody listened._

_I'd wake up in a cold sweat, my heart feeling as though it'd burst from my chest. I'd jump out of bed and rush to your room, relieved to see you sleeping soundly in your bed. And even though I knew you were safe, I still had that dream. I don't know if it was guilt or what. Maybe it was fear. Fear of what, I don't know. Maybe you can figure that out for me._

The words were scribbled quickly on a sheet of plain typing paper, the unsteady hand of it's author writing each line as straight as it could manage. In the other hand was the constant contact of cold glass, the drink in it refilled each time it emptied by the bartender in the dark and damp basement bar.  
"Last one," he told the man.  
The man paused from his writing, his eyes looking up from the paper to his glass. His head slowly nodded.  
"Writing a love letter?" the bartender joked, knowing the man was a playboy.  
"Nah," the man said in a hoarse voice. "Just...just a letter...to an old friend."  
The bartender nodded and then tended to other customers, the man continuing to write throughout the night and into the morning.

_I know I screwed up. I should have been there for you. But, I knew better. Or at least I thought I knew better. I grew too big for myself, thought a kid would just bring me down. I figured you were better where you were. And I guess I figured right. You've turned out good, son. Better than I thought you'd be. Hell, sometimes I wish I could have had your life. I could never be you, though. Not even close._

The man finished writing, getting almost two pages before signing his name at the bottom and folding the paper up, placing it inside of an envelope.  
"You gonna be okay?" the bartender asked as the man stumbled to his feet.  
"Yeah, sure," the man said, giving a wave and leaving the bar.  
Once outside, the man shuffled and weaved his way to his car, his right hand busy trying to fish the keys out of his jacket pocket. Finally getting the drivers side door unlocked, he plopped himself inside, staring off as he let out a long sigh.  
He started the car and drove off, the car moving at a slow steady pace as the man stared off in front of him.

_I guess I should get to the point of this. I thought it'd be easier on paper, but here I am, stalling. I guess it was about three months ago. I wasn't feeling well, so I went to the hospital only to find out that I had cancer. Unbelievable, right? Doctor told me I had four months at the most left in me. I won't lie, son. I was scared. As scared as I've ever been. And as I write this, I'm terrified. And I just want it to end._

_I've lived a mediocre life. Could have been better, but that's just the way it goes. I only hope you don't have any bad feeling towards me for what I've done. I know we never got to know each other too well, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't hold anything against me. I may be asking too much, but asking is all I can do at this point._

"Hold that thought, all right?" Lupin laughed, walking from Jigen, who was in the middle of telling jokes, and grabbing his phone. "Hello," he answered.  
"Lupin the Third?" the man on the other line asked.  
"Yes? Who is this?"  
Lupin's smile slowly faded as the man spoke to him.  
The conversation over, Lupin replaced the phone in his jacket slowly as he stared off, a look of sadness and disbelief on his face.  
"Lupin?" Jigen asked as he approached him. "You okay? You look horrible."  
Lupin looked at Jigen for a quick moment before looking away. "My...my dad..." he muttered. "I-I gotta go." Pushing his way past Jigen, he took quick strides to the door, leaving his friend with a confused look on his face.

_I know I should have called you, but I just couldn't. I've always tried to appear stronger than I really am, but it's times like these that show me how weak I am. We all have our faults and that's mine. Always has been and always will, I suppose. Nobody has a perfect life. Not even you. Everyone is flawed, but flaws are what makes a person who they are._

Lupin sped down the highways and streets, slowing once he reached the hospital. Parking out front, he jumped from the car and ran inside, to the front desk where he stood impatiently.  
"Can I help you?" the nurse asked.  
Lupin brushed aside all of the angry sarcastic comments that came to mind, only wanting to get to the reason he was there. "Yeah, um, Lupin. I need to know where he is." His words came without thought or remembrance.  
The nurse typed the name. "He's in critical care," she answered courteously. "Just follow this hallway," she said as she pointed to the main hall in front of her, "and it'll be at the very end to the right."  
Lupin nodded and turned, walking hesitantly, now having doubts he could do this.  
'It's been so long," he thought as he started to become emotional. 'And now, after all these years, this is how I see him?'  
He got to the end and rounded the corner, his pace slowing even more when he saw the police milling around.  
The policemen took notice, all watching as he approached.  
"Lupin," a familiar voice came from behind.  
Lupin stopped, turning to the man. "Yeah?" he asked.  
Zenigata said nothing, taking the time to examine the man before him. "Follow me," he said, breaking the silence between the two.  
He walked past Lupin and towards a glass door, flashing his badge to allow him entrance.  
Lupin followed, looking like a frightened lost child and feeling like one, too.

_Now it just seems I'm trying too hard. You hate me. I know that. I left you. What else did I expect after doing that? At one point I hated you, too. You had what I wished was mine. I always imagined I had your life. I pretended it was me in the papers, stealing millions with as much ease as you would do. I never had that chance, though. I was never that good._

_Once I finally got it through my head that you had passed me, I stopped and fell back, letting you take all the glory. I blew all my money. I became a lonely drunk no one recognized. For once I was happy. I could live a life that I felt fit me, fit who I really was. A nobody._

Dragging his feet as he entered the large room, Lupin's eyes slowly took in everything around him.  
"He's in here," Zenigata said, stopping in front of one of the rooms and pointing casually with his thumb.  
Lupin was able to get himself to enter the room, his eyes staring at the man lying in the bed, the initial feeling of fear beginning to wane.  
The man was on his back, his eyes closed as it looked like he was sleeping. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead, an exposed right arm covered in gauze, the rest of his body covered up with blankets and a gown.  
Seeing him now, Lupin wished he was just sleeping as most people do. He wished he could just jostle him awake, but he knew that he would never wake up, never open his eyes to see his son standing right next to him.  
"What happened?" Lupin asked, his voice slightly quaking, his eyes unable to leave the man.  
"It appeared that he ran his car right into an overpass piling, most likely trying to kill himself. Would have been a lot quicker if he hadn't been so drunk."  
Lupin shot Zenigata a glare.  
"I'll leave you two," Zenigata said as he started to leave.

_All the things I've done in my past, the senseless killings, the rapes, the pain I've caused others, I've forgiven myself for all of that. It might not mean much and it may be too late, but I'd like it if you forgave me, too. I'd like you to not remember me as the failure who let you down all those times, but as the man who would run into your room to see if you were safe. The man who held you as you cried and who would cry with you, knowing you were too young to realize my weak emotional state. The man who told your grandfather to teach you all you needed to know, to make you what you are now. The man who was once your father and who, even though at times felt nothing but hatred and envy towards you, never thought of you as anyone but a son._

"Oh," Zenigata said, stopping and turning back to Lupin. "They found this on him." He reached in his jacket and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Lupin.  
Lupin took the envelope, staring down at it.  
His gut feeling told him to throw it away, told him that whatever was inside was meaningless at this point.  
His curious side told him to open it, to see what the envelope held.  
For Lupin, curiosity always seemed to come out on top.  
Walking to the window, he took a deep breath, pulling out the letter and reading it slowly and silently.

_I'm proud of you, son. More than you'll ever realize. And I'm sorry it had to be like this. I'm sorry for how everything turned out. I'm sorry it finally got to this point, to where I'm too afraid to think of anyone but myself. I love you, son. Please return that love. And please forgive me._

"Your father, Arsene Lupin the Second," Lupin muttered as he lowered the letter.  
He looked from the window and back at the man. Emotions flooded him, but the only thing that came out was anger and tears.  
He turned and walked with heavy steps towards the bed. His body tense, all he could do was glare down at his father, the glare fading the more he stared.  
He lay there, still but looking content, like he had not a worry in the world. And in truth he had none. It was as if he knew everything would turn out all right.  
"You don't think I love you?" Lupin asked in anger. "Why do you think I did all that I've done?" He paused, as if expecting a reply, but knowing he wouldn't get one. Not one he could hear, anyway.  
He reached out and set his hand on his father's arm. "I did it all for you," he said in a more calming voice. "I wanted you to notice me. I wanted your approval. I wanted you to be proud. Not just of me, but of you, as well."  
He stared down as the tears rolled down his face, stared at the man he never saw, but who he never stopped thinking about. A smile came to his face as he stroked his father's head, his fingers running through the man's thick black hair.  
"I do love you," he whispered. "And I do forgive you. You don't have to be afraid anymore, dad. And you don't have to apologize anymore, either. Everything is okay."  
He bent down and kissed his cheek, raising up and staring down at the man he was proud to call his father.  
He remained at his father's side, holding his hand and talking to him, hoping he could hear the words that came from deep within. He stayed until his father drew his final breath, until the battle was finally over, until the man he loved had finally found peace.


	4. Chapter 4

This thing changed a lot from what I had originally thought for it, but I wrote it anyway. Posting it just because someone may enjoy it. -shrugs- Actually it's not as horrid as I remember it being, but my original idea was better, I thought. xD

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Four - Always Be (Jimmy Eat World)

"Miss Challiss," the waiter said as he approached an elegantly dressed woman sitting alone at a table. "A message for you."  
"Thank you," she said, taking the small note.  
The waiter gave a nod and walked off.  
The woman read the note, getting visibly upset by what it said. She drank the rest of her champagne, calling the waiter over to pay her bill, abruptly leaving after she did.

"Come on, Lupin," Jigen said in an angry tone.  
"It's bad enough that I'm spending another night with you," Lupin complained. "Just drop it, okay."  
"Are you saying this is a date?" Jigen laughed. "Hey, I just came for the free food." He shrugged and finished off his drink, waving the waiter over for another.  
Lupin mumbled something under his breath, glaring off towards the other end of the restaurant. "Huh?" He sat up, the woman walking quickly by him getting his attention. "Anne?"  
"You want to be alone so you can mope?" Jigen grinned and looked over at Lupin. "Lupin?"  
Lupin watched as the woman walked out of the restaurant. When the door closed he turned his head away, staring down in thought, a memory from his past getting dredged up.

The two had grown up around each other, their fathers being close associates. To Anne, Lupin was like a brother, a close friend. To Lupin, Anne was more than a sister. She was the first person he truly loved.  
Anne attended a private exclusive school. Lupin knew it well. He went there for three years until he was kicked out, never one to follow by the rules.  
Anne went on with her school life without him while Lupin frequently stalked the school, anything to get a glimpse of her.  
As the two got older Anne grew farther apart from Lupin. No matter how much Lupin tried to keep himself in her life, she was always drifting away.  
And so it surprised him when she accepted his invitation to her senior dance.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, the night dwindling down.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Lupin," she said in a sympathetic voice. "Robert already offered to drive me home. You don't mind, do you?"  
"Uh, no. No, of course not," he said with a put on smile.  
"I had fun tonight," she said as she smiled at him. "Thank you for bringing me."  
"No problem," he said, still trying to act cool.  
The two stood together in silence, waiting for Robert to come.  
Lupin stared off, his mind fighting with himself, berating himself for not saying what he's always wanted to say.  
"Anne," Robert said as he approached.  
"Robert," Anne said, hugging him.  
"You ready to go?"  
"I am," Anne said as she stared into his eyes, not saying one word to Lupin as she left.  
"Bye, Anne," Lupin mumbled as he watched the two. He sighed and wandered off.

Lupin walked the streets of Paris. His mind filled with emotions. Half of him wanted to cry, the other half wanting to punch something. Or someone.  
"Like Robert," he said with a laugh.  
He ended up in a park, which was mostly quiet, few people milling around. They all seemed to be couples, sitting together, holding each other in their arms.  
"Why is it so hard?" Lupin asked himself as he stared at one of the couples, more emotions rushing through him when he saw who it was.  
Anne giggled as Robert teased her. The teasing then turned romantic, the two embracing and kissing.  
Lupin stood still, watching from a distance. He wanted to walk up, to tell Anne how he felt, but his feet wouldn't move.  
Anne was once again giggling, she and Robert standing and walking off hand in hand.  
"Anne," Lupin managed to get out, his voice not loud enough for her to hear. "I...I love you," he whispered, hanging his head down and sighing.  
He wandered to the bench and sat down, Anne's perfume still lingering. He inhaled, closing his eyes and smiling, imagining her there with him.

Anne sat at the table the next morning, smiling when she saw a goofy grinned Lupin on the front page of he paper her father was reading.  
She stared down at her breakfast, blushing slighty.  
"Will Charles need to be driving you today?" her father asked, still hiding behind the paper.  
"Robert's driving me today," she said.  
"Ah, nice boy, Robert."  
"Yeah," she sighed, smiling slightly. She looked up as a knock came at the door. "That's him. Bye, daddy." She stood, kissing her father on the cheek and grabbing her things.  
Lupin stood off in the distance, watching as she ran out, she and Robert flirting before they headed back to his car.  
Lupin smiled and shrugged. He knew it was all just a matter of time before he got what he wanted.  
"I can have anything," he said. "I can have anything I want..."

The years passed and Anne went from boyfriend to boyfriend. Lupin was always there to comfort her. Always there until he finally got the courage up to tell her his feelings.  
"I just got a big promotion," she said, the two standing and leaning against the railing of a bridge, Paris standing off in the distance.  
"That's great, Anne," Lupin said with a smile, this one genuine.  
"They're moving me out to London. Isn't that amazing?"  
"London?" The smile faded as he looked down at the water below them.  
"I'm getting my own office and a nice raise. I can't wait."  
"Yeah, that is amazing," he muttered.  
"But, enough about me," she laughed. "You wanted to tell me something?"  
"It's not important, really," he said with a small laugh. "I mean, after your news, mine is just..." He laughed and shrugged. "I'm happy for you, Anne."  
"Thank you, Lupin. You've always been a great friend. I'm going to miss you."  
"I'll miss you, too."  
The two stared at each other for a moment.  
"So, are you free for dinner?" Lupin asked. "It's on me."  
Anne smiled. "I would love that, but I have a flight to catch at seven."  
"Oh, you're leaving tonight..."  
"I'm sorry," she said. "Maybe another time?"  
"I love, er, I'd love to." He smiled, his courage once again diminishing. "The next time we meet, then?"  
"I'd love that," she said with a smile.  
"Well, you probably have stuff to do, so..."  
"Yes, I have so much to pack." She rolled her eyes and laughed, not looking forward to it. "I'm glad I have my father and Charles to help me with it all. I don't know what I'd do with out them."  
Lupin smiled, trying to be supportive.  
"Thank you so much for being there, Lupin," she said, giving him a firm hug. "Come and visit, okay?"  
"I will," Lupin said, not wanting to let go of her, but knowing he couldn't hold her forever.  
The two walked back to her car, Lupin watching as she got in and waving as she drove off.

"Here," Lupin said, handing Jigen a wad of money.  
"Huh? What's this for?" He took the money and looked at it, looking up as Lupin stood. "Where are you going?" He watched as Lupin left, shrugging and going back to his drink.  
Lupin rushed out the door, looking down each side of the sidewalk. Seeing what he was after, he followed.  
Besides Anne, Fujiko was the only other woman Lupin had feelings for. But Anne was different. She was more innocent, more pure. She wasn't someone to just jump into bed with.  
Fujiko and all the other women Lupin dated were just that, someone to jump into bed with, although Fujiko was much more complicated.  
She was a challenge. She played hard to get. She gave out mixed signals that even Lupin couldn't figure out. And Lupin loved her for that.  
Anne was a challenge from a different standpoint. She challenged Lupin without trying to. She was a test to Lupin's strengths, to his inner feelings. She always made him want to gush out all of his thoughts, but he could never fight himself long enough for them to come out.  
It was something he often wondered about. How would his life be different had he broken down that wall? Or would he have even changed?

He followed her as she seemed to wander aimlessly, finally ending up in a small park.  
Anne wandered to a wooden bench and took a seat. She closed her eyes and bowed her head.  
Her life in London was full of disappointment and rejection. Realizing too late the results of the promotion, she was forced to stay.  
Lupin stood behind a tree and watched as she sat. He was once again building up his courage. "I'm not sixteen anymore," he said to himself. "Don't let this opportunity get away..."  
He watched as Anne stood, walking off and out of the park.  
"Idiot," he sighed. Hands in his pockets and head lowered, he left the park.  
He found himself walking the streets of London, his eyes staring straight ahead as his mind thought of other things, of days long past.  
He stopped, looking off to his left, the water of the Thames reflecting the lights of the city. "It's like she should be right beside me," he muttered.  
"Anne!" a man called out as he stepped out of his car.  
"Huh?" Lupin looked in front of him, Anne standing a few yards away as a man ran up to her.  
"Are you okay?" the man asked as he held her. "I've been looking all over for you."  
I'm sorry," she said as she wrapped her arms around him. "I was just...taking a walk and I lost track of time and...I'm sorry."  
The man placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away at arms length. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay."  
Anne smiled and nodded, taking the mans arm and walking with him to his car.  
Lupin watched, a slight smile on his face. "I always get what I have my eye on. Always." He turned and walked away as the car drove off behind him, knowing that Anne would always be there, even if she was forever one step ahead.


	5. Chapter 5

I did this after listening to some song I heard on the radio. I was all in serious mood mode or something. xD Just posting it up as it is as I liked it when I rediscovered and reread it tonight.

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Five - Untitled

"I'm sorry."

Her words were genuine, gentle even after everything they had been through, her tears mixed with blood falling to the ground by her feet.

Lupin tensed at her words, the way they sang out to him like all the times before.

"Lupin?" she said in between sobs.

"I did this because I loved you," he said, his voice low.

He raised his head, his eyes meeting hers.

"But now, I'm not so sure."

She gasped at his words.

"You've used me time and time again," he said, his voice raising as the anger inside of him stirred. "But I didn't care. Because I loved you."

"Lupin..."

"I knew it was a trap. I knew you'd turn on me the second money was waved in front of your face. And I knew you'd also fall victim of the trap. I think you knew that, too."

He got to his feet and limped to the bars of the cell, his eyes keeping focused on the cell across from his, to where Fujiko sat.

"You say your sorry?" he asked. "Why should I believe you? You've said it so many times that it means nothing to me."

Fujiko bowed her head, unable to look at Lupin in the eyes.

"You always told me you needed my help and I helped. I put my life on the line knowing that I wouldn't get anything out of it. I wouldn't get rich. I wouldn't get your affection. I wouldn't get a real heart felt thanks. But I always felt better after I helped you."

Lupin turned his back on Fujiko as he leaned against the bars.

"I would crawl back to Jigen and Goemon just knowing they'd have some dumb little tripe filled message of life to fill my ears with. But, I put up with it because I loved you."

He looked down at his broken arm he had been cradling.

"I've given you everything, Fujiko. I'd give you my life and you know it. Yet you turn around and treat me like garbage. How's it like to be on my side for once, huh?"

He turned around and looked at her, her beaten face and bruised arms not even phasing him.

"I feel like I should care, but I don't. It would be a wasted effort to even try."

"Lupin," Fujiko begged as she got to her feet and rushed to the bars, her dirty scratched up hands grasping the cold metal bars. "Lupin, please. Listen to me for a second, okay?"

"So you can lie to me again?"

"No, Lupin, please..."

Lupin gave her a serious stare and shook his head slowly. "Save your breath, Fujiko."

"I... I didn't know you'd fall for it," she said in desperation. "I didn't know you'd give yourself up so easily."

"Haven't you been paying attention to the last six years?" he asked loudly as he glared at her. "I've given up that much of my life for you! And this is how you repay me?"

"No, it isn't! Look, I didn't expect any of this to happen. When Marco told me he'd pay me for giving you to him, I figured we could escape with the money together. I thought you'd come prepared."

"I did come prepared. I came prepared to give you what I felt you deserved. I wanted you to feel guilty as you watched him slowly torture me to death. I thought that maybe you'd wake up out of whatever rich seeking coma you've been in. But I guess not even you getting beaten and raped is enough to wake you up."

"You could have stopped this," Fujiko cried.

"And why would I have? Sure, I could have grabbed you and escaped empty handed, but what would that have proved? What would we have gained from that? Things would still be the same. You would still be stabbing me in the back to make a profit. And I would have continued my blind path of love."

He struggled to lift his right leg, reaching down with his good hand to grab the small metal item hidden in the heel of his shoe. "I've woken up. Now it's your turn, Fujiko."

She watched with tear filled eyes as he picked the lock on the metal door and pushed it open.

He said nothing as he did the same to hers, pulling it open and giving her one last look before walking away.

"Lupin, please, I'm sorry," she said, needing him to accept it and to come back to her. "I love you."

Lupin stopped and turned, giving her a blank stare. "It's too late for any of that, Fujiko. We're through." He turned and walked away.

Fujiko said nothing else as the tears fell, watching until Lupin disappeared on the other side of a door.

She knew that all of this could have been avoided if she would have just opened her eyes and her heart, but Lupin was right. It was too late.


End file.
